Monthly Archives: February 2012

Far, far up north in Scandinavia we find a destination entirely different from the ones we usually look at. There are no beaches in Malung, no wild nightclubs, the sunshine is sparsely distributed and you wont find hordes of tourist guides ready to hold your hand whilst explored. That is however exactly the attraction. The small town of Malung is the capital of a vast area of isolated and indisturbed nature, endless forest and streaming rivers, snow covered mountain tops and quiet lakes hidden away kilometres away through the wilderness.

During the swedish summer month temperatures are generally rather mild and pleasant in this part of Sweden. You wouldnt exactly go here to catch a suntan, but the weather isnt likely to stop you exploring the wilderness either. And exploring is exactly what you should do. Get yourself a tent, a compas and plenty of supplies and head out into the vast rewarding forests.

Try your luck fishing in the streaming river Västerdalälven that has a natural habitation of salmons, sea trouts and other exciting potential captures. You can find advice and buy a permit to go fishing in one of the local fishing accessories shops. Even better though, try discreetly getting to chat to local sports fishers out there as they might just reveal some of those secrets that will help you land a giant salmon or find the perfect spot to practice your fly fishing skills.

For a more relaxing fishing experience there are plenty of lakes full of pikes, bass and other interesting species spread around the forests. The beauty of the fishing around Malung is that you tailor it exactly as you please, every type of fishing environment is ready and waiting and you wont even have to compete for a good spot at the lakes or rivers. Theres plenty of room, plenty of fish and plenty of nature to enjoy whilst youre at it. Hunting is very much the same, the area has a diverse and exciting wildlife and huge areas ready for hunting – but check with the local hunting shops first for required permits and areas you may use.

In terms of places to go in general, Sweden has a socalled “allemandsret”, which basically allows you to camp anywhere in the wilderness for free unless the area is clearly marked as a no-go (which it wont be round Malung). In this way you can camp for free where ever you like and explore on your own terms. There are campsites spread around the area as well, that can be useful for gaining access to facilities, a hot shower and purchase of fresh supplies.

Malung itself is a relatively small village with few outstanding events happening, the main feature by far is the nature surrounding it. There are however all you might need of shops and restaurants as well as a couple of bars. Dont go to Sweden for drinking though, its excessively expensive and the state has a monopoly on selling alcohol, driving up prices and the level of inconvenience. Malung has a few interesting events through the year such a Scandinavian folk festival with traditional swedish folkmusic from rather well known bands in the genre. During the winter theres a huge ski resort nearby as well to look into. But overall, go to Malung if you fancy exploring the wilderness, wants an extraordinary fishing or hunting trip, or if you simply enjoy the peace and quiet of vast sparsely populated areas full of wildlife, rivers and forests.